Taking it to the Streets - A Field Investigation

8/17/2020 (Permalink)

Are you ready for back to school?

Back in mid-March, statewide closures of public schools were announced by the Pennsylvania and Maryland governors in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, students, teachers, and parents stayed at home for the rest of the school year and adjusted to the new normal of virtual learning. With fall quickly approaching, the question on everyone’s mind is: Will students return to school or will virtual learning continue?

Will Students Return to the Classroom?

An article recently published in the Baltimore Sun, titled “Superintendents say schools in Central Maryland unlikely to return to normal in the fall”, describes the problem that is currently facing Maryland schools while Baltimore-area school superintendents examine a variety of fall reopening plans. According to the superintendents, students returning to “in-person classes five days a week” (Bowie, 2020) this fall is unlikely. Several Maryland counties and Pittsburgh Public Schools have already decided to hold fall classes virtually. Contrastingly, other area schools and districts have decided to adopt either completely virtual or hybrid methods of learning.

Schools Consider Different Plans

Hybrid models of learning, differing slightly from institution to institution, are being considered by regional colleges and universities. Located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Dickinson College has opted for an entirely virtual fall semester, keeping students at home. On the other hand, the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Maryland both plan to have students return to campus in some capacity this fall, as they will offer a mostly remote schedule and some in-person classes. Both schools have announced that they will enforce social distancing, mask wearing, and other safety protocols in addition to providing isolation facilities on campus (coronavirus.pitt.edu, 2020; umd.edu, 2020). Even with all of these safety precautions, the question is: will it be enough?

SERVPRO Can Help

No matter what model schools adopt, here at SERVPRO, we have a solution. Our “Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned” program can be integrated into school reopening plans this fall by offering schools a cleaning service that is hospital-grade and uses disinfectants that are approved by the EPA. Both frequently contacted touchpoints, which include desktops, chair backs, and stair handrails, as well as less frequently contacted touchpoints, such as backs of desks and bathroom stall walls, are targeted in the cleaning. Afterward, SERVPRO will provide physical and digital signage, which schools can put on display to communicate the high level of disinfectant cleaning that the school has received. “Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned” cleanings can be either defensive or, if the school has a positive case of COVID-19, SERVPRO will arrive immediately to thoroughly disinfect the building.

Even though there is uncertainty surrounding this fall and the school year, you can guarantee that your school will undergo the highest standard of cleaning by integrating SERVPRO’s “Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned” program into your unique reopening plan.